Decline In Ducks Results In Shorter Fall-winter Season Field Sports

September 08, 1985|The Morning Call

Shorter waterfowl seasons and reduced bag limits have been announced for Pennsylvania hunters this fall and winter. Extended drought conditions on the Canadian wetlands, primary breeding grounds for migratory waterfowl on the North American continent, have caused significant declines in 1985 duck populations.

As noted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service, less than 67 million ducks will migrate south this year. That's 22 percent fewer than last year and will require severe state adjustments to meet federal guidelines aimed at reducing duck harvests by at least 25 percent.

Commenting on the status of waterfowl, Game Commission Executive Director Peter S. Duncan stated: "Fall flights across Pennsylvania are expected to be the lowest in 16 years, and we're told a census of 1985 spring breeding populations was the lowest ever documented by the Canadian survey teams. When you consider that 90 to 100 million birds make up a "good" duck population - and only 62 million are projected - it's evident the states must respond with shorter seasons and lower bag limits."

Duncan added that reports from the Atlantic Flyway Council indicate that geese have fared better than ducks in the breeding grounds, and 1985 flights should be similar to those of last year.

40 DAYS FOR DUCK HUNTING

Only 40 days have been allotted for duck hunting in Pennsylvania this year, compared to 50 in 1984. The daily bag limit has been reduced from five to four and the duck possession limit is now eight.

No more than three mallards may be taken daily and only one hen may be taken per day. The daily bag limit may not include more than two pintails. Possession limits on mallard and pintails are double the daily limits. Other duck bag limits are similar to those of recent years.

The Black Duck season runs Oct. 29-Dec. 7 in the Lake Erie zone; Nov. 7- Dec. 7 in the northwest zone; Nov. 1-25 in the north zone, and Nov. 14-Dec. 7 in the south zone.

In the north zone, the season for other ducks opens Oct. 17 and closes Nov. 25, while the Lake Erie zone duck season begins Oct. 29 and ends Dec. 7.

In the northwest zone, the first segment of the duck season opens Oct. 17 and closes Oct. 25, re-opening Nov. 7 and closing Dec. 7. In the south zone, the first part of the duck season runs Oct. 24-30, with the second segment beginning Nov. 17 and ending Dec. 16.

Canada, snow and blue goose season opens in the north zone Oct. 5 and closes Dec. 13, while the goose season in the Lake Erie, northwest and south zones runs Oct. 12 through Dec. 20.

The goose season will run for 90 days from Oct. 12 through Jan. 9 in the enlarged area of eastern and southern Pennsylvania which is experiencing crop depredation.

Atlantic brant may be taken statewide Oct. 21 through Nov. 18, again with a daily limit of two and a possession limit of four.

Waterfowl hunting begins at 8 a.m. Oct. 5 in the north zone and 8 a.m. Oct. 12 in the northwest zone.

BAG AND POSSESSION LIMITS

As in recent years, not more than one black duck or two wood ducks may be taken daily and a hunter may not possess more than two black ducks or four wood ducks.

A hunter may take one canvasback daily. He or she may take either two redheads daily or one canvasback and one redhead daily. The possession limit on canvasback is one and four on redheads.

Daily limit on mergansers is five with a possession limit of 10, but not more than one hooded merganser may be taken daily. The possession limit on hooded mergansers is two. Hunters this year may again take 15 coots daily, with a possession limit of 30.

Extra teal, in addition to the regular duck limits, can be taken during the first seven shooting days of the duck season in each of the four waterfowl zones. The extra teal limit is two blue-winged or two green-winged teal, or one of each species. The extra teal possession limit is four, singly or in the aggregate.

Two extra scaup may be taken daily in the Lake Erie zone with a possession limit of four.

In most of the state, three Canada, plus three blue and/or snow, geese may be taken per day, with a possession limit of six each. In Crawford County, the Canada goose daily limit is one; in Butler, Erie and Mercer counties the limit is two. At Pymatuning and Middle Creek Wildlife Management areas the daily goose limit is one, regardless of species.

Hunters may again take seven sea ducks (scoter, eider and oldsquaw) daily, with no more than 14 in possession.

Waterfowlers 16 years of age and older must, in addition to the normally required state hunting license, also carry a federal migratory waterfowl permit (duck stamp). The latter must be signed by the hunter in pen and ink across the face of the sticker.

TWO STATE FISH RECORDS

"Lake Erie fishing has to be one of the best keptsecrets in the world." These were Jack Scheirer's words when he described his latest fishing trips to the big lake.